28 April 2008

Libya: Release of Abdelsalam Ibrahim Mohammed

Alkarama for human Rights, April 28, 2008

Alkarama just learned that Abdelsalam Ibrahim Mohammed who had been deported from Switzerland on 23 November 2007 and had since disappeared was released on 27 April 2008.

Alkarama had seized on 14 February 2008 the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) asking it to intervene with the Libyan authorities. (See Communique )

We recall that Mr. Mohammed was sent back to Libya by special plane from Zurich airport after the final rejection of his application for asylum.

Mr. Mohammed had told Swiss authorities about the risk of arrest and torture he incurred if ihe were to be handed over to Libyan authorities. He was the subject, before his flight to Switzerland, of surveillance by the Libyan security services.

Upon his arrival in Tripoli, he was arrested and was reported missing. After much research, his brother has only been able to obtain information informally that Abdelsalam Mohammed was handed over to the External Security Services (Al Amn Al Khariji). The approached authorities have never recognized his detention.

The Swiss federal Office for migration (Bundesamt für Migration) said that despite this incident, he did not categorically prohibit returns to Libya. The Office would continue to take decisions "on a case by case basis".

Alkarama has for the moment no information on the treatment he has suffered during his secret detention.

Qatar - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

No

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 11.01.2000
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 23.11.2016 (3rd)
Last concluding observations: 25.01.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 05.2014 (2nd cycle)
Next review: -

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) – Status A

Last review: 10.2010
Next review: 11.2015